E-mail is a wonderful thing. These days,
it's more efficient and reliable than the Post Office, and it's
virtually free. I find it useful for keeping in touch with people
I might not otherwise have the time to talk to and helpful for
confirming details that sometimes seem too insignificant for a
phone call. Through e-mail and the Internet, information about
virtually everything has become easier to find and share.

However, the Internet is also rampant
with scam artists seeking to deprive the innocent of their hard-earned
money. One of the biggest scams around is based in Central Africa.
Black Internet users should not let their interest in and affection
for what some call "the African homeland" be used against
them.

When so many are taking steps to cross
the "digital divide" and hook up to the Internet, it's
a shame there are people out there setting traps that may deter
technological newcomers from benefiting from technology.

One should be on the lookout for e-mails
from people claiming to be government officials or businessmen
from Nigeria, Sierra Leone or other African countries seeking
assistance in clearing up a financial problem. In return for your
assistance, they claim that you'll get a pay-out that could total
in the millions. It seems too good to be true. It is.

This scam has been around for years through
regular mail and fax, but e-mail has made it even easier for the
scammers to tempt us. This scam is called "The Nigerian Connection,"
"Advance-Fee Fraud" and "419." 419 is the
Nigerian Criminal Code designation for the scam. In Nigeria, it
is one of the country's top industries and has conned Americans
out of billions of dollars.

I get several of these e-mails every month.
I got one recently from someone claiming to be the wife of the
late former president of Nigeria. She told me she had $50 million
hidden from the current Nigerian government, and would cut me
in for ten percent ($5 million!) if I'd help her get the money
out of Nigeria. I was assured it was a "humanitarian service"
I'd be doing for her and her countrymen and that it was "100
percent risk free" for me.

Had I replied, I most likely would have
been asked to provide things like my bank account information.
Later on, I might have been asked to forward money to grease the
skids for all that money that would later be coming my way. After
all my money was gone, I would probably never have heard from
them again. In the worst-case scenario, I'd actually have been
invited to Nigeria to seal the deal and been robbed, beaten and
possibly killed.

According to the U.S. Postal Inspection
Service, Americans were cheated out of $100 million in 1996 and
1997 alone. One alleged victim was swindled out of $400,000 before
reporting the fraud. There are undoubtedly many additional thefts
which have gone unreported because those who are duped have been
too embarrassed to report it.

Black America stands to lose a lot by
not participating in the technological revolution sweeping our
nation and the world. At present, what's left of the perceived
digital divide between black American and technology is the gap
made by those who are afraid to take advantage of the free or
low-cost computer access provided by businesses, schools and charities.
It's an understandable problem, but one that must be overcome.

Once that technological gap is breached,
however, people need to be aware of scams like the Nigerian Connection.
There is too much awaiting black America on the Internet to allow
this to be a deterrent. Just be aware and be informed.

###

(David Almasi is the director of Project
21. He can be reached at [email protected].)

Note: New Visions Commentaries
reflect the views of their author, and not necessarily those of
Project 21.